Steel tie and fastener.



G. P. DIBEL 61 McCLELLAN BLACK.

STEEL TIE AND FASTENER. APPLICATION FILED APRL14, 1915v Patented 14,1915.

GAIL P. DIBEL AND MGCLELLAN BLACK, OF CARLTON, OREGON.

STEEL TIE AND FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Application filed April 14, 1915. Serial No. 21,266.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GAIL P. DIBEL and MCCLELLAN BLACK, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Carlton, in the county of Yamhill and Stateof Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. SteelTies and Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

The invention purposes to give an improved rail way cross tie andfastening calculated to simplify and cheapen manufacturing and alsoconstruction and maintenance costs.

It is an iinportant aim to provide a simple fastening and a formation oftie cooperative therewith in such a manner as to permit the rapidemplacement of and securement of the fastening upon a rail base, to holdthe rail securely upon the tie.

It is also an aim to provide means especially fitted to use with ourfastening which will assure the permanence of the fastening until it isdesired to release it, and which at the same time reinforces thefastening so as to increase the firmness of its engagement with the railbase.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appearfrom the construction, arrangement and combination of parts in one ofthe possible embodiments of our invention as hereinafter set forth andshown in the drawings, where- Figure 1 is an end view of a tie embodyingour invention and having a rail secured thereon. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of one end of the tie and rail thereon, Fig. 3 is a side viewof the complete tie, Fig. 4 is a detail of the fastening yoke, Fig. 5 isan enlarged sectional view of the combined buttress and lock for one endof the yoke. in use, Fig. 6 is a plan of the buttress-lock, Fig. 7 is atop view of one endof the tie with the rail in place, Fig. 8 is anenlarged side view of one of the members 24.

Thereis illustrated a tie 10, which may be adapted to use on variousforms of road bed, but as illustrated is similar to the familiar rolledI-beam in structural steel, exceptthat for ordinary road bed the base 11is preferably considerably broadened, or may be otherwise formed inaccordance with current methods or to fit various requirements.

The tie is of any desi ed length greater than the distance between theoutside edges of the rail bases when in place, and extends at least adistance sufficient to enable the formation without the rail of theouter most of two diagonally spaced openings 12 formed in the top plate13 of the tie. These openings are spaced longitudinally of the tie, adlstance corresponding to the width of the rail base, andare formed inpairs adjacent each end of the tie. They are spaced on opposite sides ofthe web I l-of the tie in each pair, and the pairs are so spaced as tobring the rails to proper gage when set between respective pairs on atie and fastened as will be described. In the web 14 of the tie diagonalslots 15 are formed, their upper ends stopping short of the plate 13 adistance and centered between the .openings 12 of respective pairs. Theslots slope downwardly and outwardly from this point, and stop short ofthe base of the web 14 a suitable distance. They may be curveddownwardly, also, as illustratedv Fastening yokes 17 are provided,formed of a suitable grade of metal stock out in proper lengths, the endportions being bent inwardly into parallel relat on forming a narrowbight 18, and then being each bent transversely to this bight a shortdistance therefrom, and at a distance laterally of the bightcorresponding to the spacing of the openings 12 being bent into parallelrelation to form the bolt arms 19, the outer parts of which are threadedfor the engagement of suitable rail-fastening nuts. The distance betweenthe bight of the yoke and the first bend of the ends is less thanthedistance between the upper ends of the'slots. The length of the arms19 is sufficient to permit them to project above the rail base with thebight 18 engaged at the upper end of the slot 15 of a tie.

The yokes are disposed in position with the upper edge portions of theslots 15 engaged in the bights of the yokes, and the arms extendedupwardly through respective openings 12, the formation of the slots 15being such as to permit the ready positioning of the yokes with onehand. Therail 20 is secured by means of nuts 21, hav ng enlargedcircular base portions 22, sloplng'upwardly and outwardly at their lowersides to conform to the slope of the upper side of the rail baseflanges, the nuts being screwed upon the .bolt arms until the rail baseis firmly clamped to the tie. As the tendency of even very heavy boltsis to bend outwardlv under this use, involving liability that the railwill not be clamped with suiiicient firmness, we provide a buttressmember 21, of semi-circular formhaving a concentric opening therethroughto loosely receive the bolt arm, the straight edge 25 of the buttressengaging snugly against the side of the rail. The upper side of thebuttress member is concaved to conform to the shape of the under side ofthe nuts 21, and is also formed with angularities 26 in its surface toengage the base of the nut and hold it against casual unscrewing. Theseangularities comprise grooves, as shown, having sloped sides in thedirection of tightening movement of the nut, and vertical sidesopposite, so that the surface of the nut will be engaged suitablytopre-vent unscrewing unless by application of considerable force.

The effect of the buttress member is to support the nut at the .outerside, preventing the bending of the bolt arm outwardly when the railbase is forcibly engaged by the nut. This permits the use of yokes madeof a moderate thickness of stock, as the tensile strength of the boltsis much greater than their resistance to flexure, under limitations ofmanufacture.

In use ties being arranged along the track in the customary relation andat proper intervals, the rails are set thereon and adjust ed with theirbases between the shoulders 16 at each end, and the ends of the railsproperly alined with each other, .and secured to each other in anycustomary manner. Before or after fastening of the joints, the yokes 17are'each introduced by presentation of one side through a respectiveslot 15. and

while the bight is in the lower part of the slot or to one side thereof,depending on the length of the arms and slot, the ends of the armspresented in the openings 12 and the bight adjusted centrally in theslot and then forced longitudinally inward with respect to the tie,while a slight upward pressure is exerted on the yoke. Little effort isrequired to push the arms 19 through the openings 12, as the inclinationof the slot enables the yoke to be moved upwardly with great case whenpressed laterally against the lower inclined side of the slot 15. Thismovement is easy for the operator, and the positioning of the yoke maybe accomplished with one hand, while the members 24 are adjusted on thearms 19 and the nuts 21 put in place by the other hand. It will thus beseen that with one operation two fastening devices are positioned onrespective sides of the rail in one operation. where two operations areordinarily involved in adjusting securing devices on opposite sides ofthe rail.

It is apparent that simple and inexpensive, though efiicient anddurable, means are i the arms when the nuts are tightenedthereon,'independently of the buttress members 24, and a further effecttending to straighten up the bolts, or at least to move them inwardtoward the rail, is produced. by the engagement of the bight 18 of theyokes against the upper end of the slot 15 when the [nuts are tightened.A loose fit of the yokes in the openings 12 is thus permissible withoutliability of the bolt elements falling outwardly from the rail base. Theconstruction described insures a snug relation between the fasteningsand the rail base, without waste of time in adjustment.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a cross tie having a railsupporting top and central web thereunder, diagonally spaced openingsbeing formed in the plate to receive a rail base therebetween, adiagonal slot being formed in the web inclined upwardly toward its innerend, said end being spaced centrally between the openings, a yokehavingparallel bolt arms spaced to engage through said openings, and railclamping means engageable with the yoke.

2. In'a rail fastening of the class described, a tie having atop platehaving diagonally spaced openings therethrough, and a slotted bodyportion therebeneath, the slot being located beneath the openings, ayoke having spaced threaded clamping arms for engagement through theopenings of the top plate and adapted to be set in the slot, saidopenings being spaced to receive a transversely disposed railtherebetween, members constructed to surround the arms and abut againstthe side of a rail base and having concave upper sides conforming to theslope and proportions of the edge portions of a rail base, and nutmembers engageable on the arms having enlarged circular base portionssloping upwardly and outwardly at their under sides for engagement witha rail and said members next last named for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

GAIL P. DIBEL. MCCLELLAN BLACK.

lVitnesses:

W. E. Kroner, D. BROOKS.

